Goodyear unanimously approves 152-acre GSQ Regional Center rezoning, $30 million infrastructure deal

Goodyear Approves 152-Acre GSQ Regional Center Rezoning with $30M Infrastructure Investment; Mayor Reports Winning Veto on State Rental-Housing Bill

The Goodyear City Council unanimously approved a major reimagining of a long-stalled 152-acre development site in Estrella Falls on February 27, 2023, clearing the path for a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented "downtown" development anchored by a $30 million public infrastructure commitment from the city. The vote came hours after Mayor Joe Pizzillo announced a significant win in state legislative advocacy—a gubernatorial veto of a bill that would have restricted residential rental-housing restrictions, a threat the council views as an existential risk to its general fund.

All seven council members voted yes on the rezoning (Ordinance 2023-1561), the development agreement Fifth Amendment, and a $6.6 million Fire Station 183 renovation project. The GSQ Regional Center vote was the evening's centerpiece, marking the culmination of 18 months of negotiations and a 23-year-long planning saga that began in 2000 when the site was first designated for commercial and residential uses under the original Goodyear Regional Center PAD (Planned Area Development).

Key Speeches

"Reading staff's report and hearing Christian tonight, believe it or not, on Valentine's Day 23 years ago I was here—not in this building—but talking about this site. So things have kind of come full circle. And personally, you may or may not agree, personally I believe the City of Goodyear is much better off that we don't have empty boxes standing on that site." — Ed Bull, applicant/developer representative

"I just want to make sure that if you put a car wash in there, I do like that it's with the um a use or with a gas station use, and I guess my fear is that I just want to make sure that people can—because then we've had some bad examples where car washes exactly right next to a hotel and that's not great for the hotel and the people using the hotel." — Vice Mayor Brannon Hampton, Council discussion

"Only thing I want to say is we had last week an opportunity at our mayor's dinner to invite the governor to the dinner and it was very successful. We started building some relationship with the governor in her office and explained to her how important some of these bills that are going down there that aren't very friendly to us—how local control is very important. And it was very successful to the extent that one of the bills that we've been trying to kill, the residential rental, was vetoed the next day." — Mayor Joe Pizzillo, closing remarks

Timeline

• Applicant presentation: Christian Williams, city principal planner, presented a 152-acre site currently vacant within the Village Center (Estrella Falls) and located west of Bullard Avenue and south of McDowell Road. The property is bounded by Rio Paseo residential to the north, Bullard Avenue to the east, McDowell Road to the south, and Interstate 10 to the southwest.

• Staff recommendation: City staff recommended approval of the rezoning subject to modifications requiring car washes within the PAD to be located at least 300 feet from residential zoning districts, hotels, and 150 feet from restaurant patios, with no standalone car washes permitted. Car washes may only be accessory to gas stations. Maximum of one gas station permitted in the entire development.

• Public comment: Two speakers during non-agenda citizen comment period. Mike Goodwin, manager of Snyder's Lance pretzel facility (250 employees, 24/7 operation, 25 daily truck loads), requested activation of a traffic signal at Bullard Avenue and McDowell Road intersection; an employee sustained a wrist fracture in a February 16 collision at that intersection. Staff was tasked with follow-up investigation. Jennifer Barber, an 18-year Estrella resident and land-use advocate, praised the city's Fire Station 2 funding decision (which enabled rapid response to a cycling accident on Saturday) and warned council of three Arizona state bills (SB 1697, SB 1313, SB 1122) that would cut federal funding for bike/pedestrian infrastructure and alter county sales tax allocation rules; the matter was referred to intergovernmental relations staff.

• Council discussion: Brannon Hampton raised concerns about car-wash proximity to hotels, referencing a prior denied car-wash application approximately 200–250 feet from a hotel. Councilmember Wally Campbell sought assurance that developer cost estimates for roadway construction aligned with city standards to avoid future disputes over inadequate construction. Councilmember Laura Kaino requested visualization of building heights: 60 feet equates to four to six stories; 200 feet (the maximum allowed in some zones) equates to 15–18 stories. Councilmember Vicki Gillis expressed excitement about building a walkable downtown "from scratch" and noted the city had pursued this vision since 2009. All council members praised staff, the developer (Globe Corporation and RG Land Partners), and Ed Bull's team for the work.

• Vote: Final tally 7-0 on Ordinance 2023-1561 (rezoning), Resolution 2023-2278 (public records declaration), and the Fifth Amendment development agreement.

Project Details

• Case number: Ordinance 2023-1561; Resolution 2023-2278; Fifth Amendment to Development Agreement with RG Land Partners LLC

• Applicant / developer: Globe Corporation and RG Land Partners LLC, represented by Ed Bull, Ally Bull, George Goetz, Mike Olson, and Scott Wagner

• Attorney: Brian Greathouse (applicant's counsel); Rory Massey (City Attorney)

• Location / address: West of Bullard Avenue, south of Encanto Boulevard, north of McDowell Road, and east of 150th Drive, in the Village Center area commonly known as Estrella Falls

• Current zoning → Proposed zoning: PAD (Planned Area Development) with general commercial/residential contemplation → GSQ Regional Center PAD with six distinct land-use areas (A–F)

• Density / units / square footage: Not specified in transcript. Development footprint spans 152 acres with mixed single-family, multi-family, retail, commercial, entertainment, and hospitality uses; no maximum residential density stated, but density constrained by parking, drainage, and open-space requirements.

• Changes from previous version: This represents a fundamental reimagining from the original 2000 PAD, which contemplated a regional shopping mall with a ring road. The new version pivots to a pedestrian-centric, walkable mixed-use downtown core with Goodyear Way as the primary spine, featuring active streetscapes, bike paths, and an art trail.

Land Use Areas (A–F):

• Area A (North of Encanto Boulevard): Transition zone protecting Rio Paseo residential to the north. Max height 60 feet. Permitted uses: single-family, multi-family attached (townhomes), self-storage, offices, banks, schools, surgery centers, hotels, restaurants, bars. Min 15% open space for projects; 5% for multi-family/commercial.

• Area B (North of McDowell, west of Goodyear Way): Higher-density mixed-use core. Max height 200 feet. Limited to one car wash (accessory to gas station only; subject to 300-foot setback restrictions). Gas stations limited to one per entire PAD. Max two standalone drive-throughs (combined B and E total). Offices, banks, schools, restaurants, bars, microbreweries, entertainment venues, hotels permitted.

• Area C (Goodyear Way Spine): Non-residential mixed-use core. All single-story or varied multi-story buildings fronting Goodyear Way. Offices, banks, restaurants, bars, microbreweries, entertainment venues. Minimum building heights to frame the corridor and create sense of place. Art trail and enhanced pedestrian/bike connectivity required.

• Area D (East of Goodyear Way, North of McDowell): Transition to big-box retail. Similar permitted uses to Area B; functions as a buffer between core and outer retail.

• Area E (North of McDowell, east side): Big-box retail similar to existing McDowell Road shopping centers. Unlimited end-cap drive-throughs, car washes (accessory to gas station only). Max two standalone drive-throughs combined with Area B.

• Area F (South of McDowell): Automotive dealerships, auto services, tire/oil/lube, hospitals, colleges. Similar use flexibility to Area E; gas station allowed here; one standalone drive-through; unlimited end-cap drive-throughs.

Key Development Standards:

• Heights: Area A capped at 60 feet (four to six stories); Areas B, C, D, E max 200 feet (15–18 stories).
• Setbacks: Measured from public street rights-of-way and perimeter boundaries; residential lots measured from lot frontage.
• Open space: 15% minimum for projects in Area A; 5% for multi-family and commercial.
• Parking: Reduced requirements to encourage walkability; further reductions available through third-party traffic studies.
• Street connectivity: Pedestrian and bike paths required for north-south and east-west movement; primary pedestrian corridor along Goodyear Way with bike paths and art trail.

Infrastructure Commitments (Fifth Amendment):

• Goodyear Way (Primary Spine): Design and construction start by April 1, 2024; completion by April 1, 2025. Developer must construct; city reimburses $30 million total across all roadways.
• Reimbursement mechanism: First $15 million via draw-basis reimbursement (30-day turnaround); next $15 million via 50% sales tax reimbursement (after existing improvement-district reimbursement obligations expire, expected in 6–7 years) at 4% interest.
• Construction sales tax credit: 50% of non-residential construction sales taxes credited toward the $15 million sales-tax-reimbursement tranche.
• Permit fee waiver: 50% of permit and plan review fees waived for seven years.
• Developer cost estimate: Approximately $41 million for roadway design and construction; $30 million city reimbursement leaves developer carrying ~$11 million in infrastructure costs.
• Prepaid fee reinstatement: If developer secures a 30,000 sq. ft. specialty grocer, entertainment user, or upscale retailer, $1.7 million in prepaid development fees from prior developer (lapsed) will be reinstated for permit/plan review support.

Vote Breakdown

• Final: 7–0 (all items)
• Yes: Mayor Joe Pizzillo, Vice Mayor Brannon Hampton, Councilmember Wally Campbell, Councilmember Laura Kaino, Councilmember Vicki Gillis, Councilmember Benita Beckles, Councilmember Trey Terry
• No: None
• Abstentions / absences: None

Outcome & Next Steps

The rezoning and development agreement are now final. The project advances to the site-plan phase, which requires completion of administratively approved street cross-sections and supplemental design guidelines before any individual development site plans can be approved. These guidelines will detail street furniture, lighting, landscape standards, hardscape, pavers, open-space design, and enhanced intersection treatments.

Developer Globe Corporation and RG Land Partners must commence design and construction of Goodyear Way by April 1, 2024, with completion targeted for April 1, 2025. Additional roadways (Monte Vista and others) will be developed as market conditions permit and will be eligible for reimbursement from the $30 million pool.

The PAD remains in effect through 2055, consistent with the original 2006 development agreement. City staff will monitor traffic conditions during site-plan review and may require additional traffic studies if Goodyear Way and other internal circulation patterns trigger new signal or infrastructure warrants.

Controversies & Context

Car Wash Restrictions

The most contentious element of the rezoning centered on car-wash placement. In prior years, the city denied a car-wash application (the "previous car" referenced in council discussion) located approximately 200–250 feet from a hotel on Bullard Avenue due to noise, sound contours, and proximity concerns. Brannon Hampton invoked this history during council discussion, noting the negative impact on hotel operations and guest experience when car washes are too close.

In response, staff revised the PAD document mid-hearing to impose:

• Minimum 300-foot setbacks from residential zoning districts and hotels
• Minimum 150-foot setback from restaurant patios
• Prohibition on standalone car washes; car washes permitted only as accessory uses to gas stations
• Limitation of one gas station per entire PAD
• Requirement that car wash buildings not be closer than 300 feet to arterial-street intersections or McDowell Road

The 300-foot setback was derived from Hampton's reference to a football field (~100 yards). The developer and counsel (Ed Bull, Ally Bull, Brian Greathouse) accepted these modifications without objection during the hearing, signaling prior negotiation or alignment on the terms.

Developer Cost Estimation Wally Campbell raised a concern documented in recent city experience: a developer had underestimated road-construction costs because city standards were more stringent than the developer's engineering consultant had anticipated, resulting in cost overruns that the city did not reimburse. Wally Campbell sought assurance that Globe/RG Land Partners understood the city's expectations and had aligned their $41 million cost estimate accordingly.

City Attorney Rory Massey responded that the city was "in alignment" with the developer's estimates on Goodyear Way, but he could not directly confirm that the developer understood the full scope of city standards. Massey did note that the developer is carrying $11 million of the $41 million cost, creating shared financial incentive for accurate estimation.

23-Year Development History

Ed Bull's remark—"on Valentine's Day 23 years ago I was here… talking about this site"—underscores the long tenure of this property as a planning and zoning entity. The original 2000 PAD contemplated a regional shopping mall (1 million+ square feet) with a ring road. Retail trends and developer transitions over two decades left the site largely vacant or speculatively held. The Fifth Amendment codifies a market-responsive pivot away from the mall model toward urban mixed-use, which city leadership views as aligned with Goodyear's growth trajectory and resident preferences.

Duration

• This item (GSQ rezoning, development agreement, Fire Station 183): Approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes of combined discussion and voting
• Total meeting: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes (including executive session authorization at end, not recorded)

Other Notable Items

Fire Station 183 Renovation ($6.6M): The city approved a $6,154,200 expenditure for mechanical/electrical system replacement and dormitory/office improvements at the 1988-constructed fire station. Construction is scheduled March 2023 through fall 2023. Vote: 7–0.

State Legislative Advocacy Success: Joe Pizzillo reported that his office and other Arizona municipal leaders held a relationship-building dinner with the Governor, at which they explained how state preemption bills (specifically a residential rental-housing restriction bill) threatened local general-fund revenue for police, fire, and roads. The Governor vetoed the bill the following day. Joe Pizzillo also cited progress on a $10 million Estrella Bridge appropriation, which advanced through a legislative committee 9–1 (sponsored by a Democratic state senator). This advocacy effort reflects growing municipal concern about state bills that strip local discretionary authority or redirect local sales-tax streams to state priorities.

Public Safety Infrastructure Advocacy: Resident Jennifer Barber praised the city's accelerated funding of Fire Station 2 (originally not slated to open until 2025) after citing how rapid response to a cycling accident on Saturday may have saved lives. She then pivoted to warn the council of three pending state bills (SB 1697, SB 1313, SB 1122) that would reduce federal funding for bike/pedestrian infrastructure and alter county sales-tax allocation, effectively shifting infrastructure costs from the state/federal level to local budgets. The council referred the matter to intergovernmental relations staff.

Traffic Safety Referral: Mike Goodwin (Snyder's Lance pretzel factory) requested activation of the traffic signal at the Bullard Avenue and McDowell Road intersection. The facility operates 24/7 with 250 employees and 25 daily truck loads; a February 16 collision resulted in an employee wrist fracture. City staff was tasked with investigating the intersection and reporting back on signal-activation feasibility.